What is the Capital of Yemen? - Capital-of.com Dates of religious and Civil holidays around the world. Capital of Yemen The Capital City of Yemen (officially named Republic of Yemen) is the city of Sanaa. The population of Sanaa in the year 2008 was 23,013,376. Yemen is an Arabic speaking country on the coasts of the . Additional Information Sana'a, capital city of Yemen All... Sana'a, capital city of Yemen Mystical, romantic and endlessly enchanting, Sana'a is one of the greatest treasures of Arabia. It is also one of the world's oldest cities, and its rich history reveals itself throughout the narrow streets lined with centuries-old buildings. Unlike many great Arab cities, Sana'a has resisted modernization and retained its historic charm. You won't find any gleaming towers of steel and glass in the city, but you will see the stone and fired-clay buildings change hues from peachy-pink to deep rose as the sun moves across the sky. If it were not for the scooters and cars that whiz down the streets, you may swear you have stepped back in time.

The Old City is the heart of Sana'a and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The entire district is a work of art, and wandering without aim is the best way to enjoy it. The area is so well-preserved that you can walk more than a kilometer in any direction without coming across a single new building. There are over 14,000 tower houses in Sana'a, designed to bring residents as close to heaven as possible. Known as the world's first skyscrapers, the houses often reach six to eight stories and follow a set design: storerooms and stables occupy the ground floor; the second is used for entertaining; the third floor is for children and women; and bedrooms, the kitchen and bathrooms occupy the third and fourth floors. The top of the house contains the attic, then the mafraj, or the “room with a view.” The mafraj views over the city are truly ravishing. The Souq al-Milh lies at the center of the Old City and is one of the best markets in all of Arabia. There, visitors can shop for anything from mobile phones to handwoven carpets and everything in between.

Silver jewelry gleams in the sunlight, the air is thick with the scent of jasmine, stalls overflow with piles of dates and colorful scarves wave in the breeze. Walking through the labyrinth of vendors is like traveling back to a bygone era. Surrounded by topsy-turvy whitewashed houses and dreamy mosques, the whole market feels like a fantasy brought to life. The National Museum is not just one of the largest museums in the region, it is also one of the best. The breathtaking collection of figurines, statues and artifacts from the Saba and Hadramawt kingdoms greets visitors on the first floor while the second is dedicated to the medieval Islamic period. The well-curated galleries present an incredible range of history while providing an outstanding introduction to the country's history, culture and people. One of the highlights of the Old City is the Great Mosque, the most significant of the 50 mosques in Yemen. Legend dictates this was the country's first mosque, built on the directions of the Prophet himself. All that remains of the original mosque are a few ornamental fragments in the ceiling and some of the arcades. The current reincarnation was built and rebuilt from the 9th through the 17th centuries.

The most striking features of the mosque are its minarets, beckoning worshippers with their elaborate geometric designs. Non-muslim visitors are prohibited from entering this and other mosques in Yemen, but you can catch a fleeting glance at the main prayer halls through the front doors. Sanaa Geographical Location Sanaa is located in the central western area of Yemen and has an approximate population of 1,750,000. Sanaa Language Arabic is the official language of Yemen. Sanaa Predominant Religion 100% Muslim Less than one percent of the population adheres to a religion other than Islam. There are small groups of Christians, Jews, and a very small group of Hindus. Sanaa Currency The Yemeni Rial is the official currency of Yemen. Sanaa Climate There is very little rain in Sanaa as it is considered a mild desert climate. The temperatures are normally pleasant with the winters being warm and the summer comfortably hot. Sanaa Main Attractions The Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts Other Attraction in Sanaa Yemen Cities Map, Major Cities in Yemen Habarut Al Hudaydah Out of all the cities mentioned above, Sanaa is the capital city of Yemen.

Marib is on the other hand, one of the most important tourist destinations of Yemen. Besides these, Shibam is considered to be the Manhattan of the desert. It is indeed one of the loveliest places of the country. Ta'izz, a city in Yemen, also deserves special mention. It is located in the highlands of Yemen. It is quite near the famous Mocha port. It is the capital city of Ta'izz Sana'a. This city houses several old buildings made of brown bricks. Mosques and Muslim madrasa are also found over here. Almost all the cities in Yemen are filled with ancient architectural monuments. If you want to spend your holiday amidst the splendid mountains and the desert landscapes Yemenis cities are indeed the perfect places to go for. There is no doubt in the fact that these cities are all unique in their beauty and charm. Sanaa | national capital, Yemen | Britannica.com national capital, Yemen ’Abd Allah as-Sallal Sanaa, Arabic Ṣanʿāʾ or Sana, city, capital of Yemen .

It is situated at the western foot of Mount Nuqum, at an elevation of more than 7,200 feet (2,200 metres) above sea level, in the western part of the country. Sanaa has for many centuries been the chief economic, political, and religious centre of the Yemen Highlands. The city’s name means “fortified place.” Sanaa, with Al-Ṣāliḥ Mosque in the background, Yemen. © Vladimir Melnik/Shutterstock.com Overview of Yemen, including a discussion of Sanaa. Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz History Sanaa is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, although an exact date for its establishment is unknown. According to Yemeni legend , it was founded by Shem, one of the three sons of Noah . It occupies the site of the ancient pre-Islamic stronghold of Ghumdān, which may date to the 1st and 2nd century bce. Sanaa was an Arabian centre for Christians and Jews before it was converted to Islam by ʿAlī , fourth caliph and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad , in 632 ce.

The city’s history as a Muslim centre is one of sporadic rivalry between the heterodox Zaydī (see Zaydiyyah ) imams (leaders) and rival dynasties; the Zaydī imamate, whose original capital was at Ṣaʿdah in the north, lasted, with frequent interruptions, from the 9th century to 1962. There was a sharp decline in the city’s fortunes in the 12th–15th century, as successive conquerors of Yemen set up their capitals in other cities. During the reign of ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn Ṭāhir of the Ṭāhirid dynasty in the early 16th century the city was embellished with many fine mosques and madrassa s (Islamic theological schools). Nominally under Ottoman sovereignty from the mid-16th century, Sanaa was effectively controlled by the imams from the early 17th century to 1872; only then did the Ottomans succeed in capturing and holding the city.

Civil strife between the Ottomans and the imams continued until 1911, when a treaty gave the latter almost total autonomy . Sanaa became the national capital of independent Yemen after Ottoman defeat in World War I . Under the imam Aḥmad (reigned 1948–62), the capital was moved south to Taʿizz , but Sanaa again became the capital with the 1962 revolution and the proclamation of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen). The revolution ousted the Zaydī imamate and opened Sanaa to political and cultural change, but it also sparked an eight-year civil war. In 1990 Sanaa became the unified country’s capital when the North Yemen merged with the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen). Part of the western section of Sanaa, Yemen, with Mount Nuqum in the background. Art Resource, New York Dhamār The old city is surrounded by a massive wall 20–30 feet (6–9 metres) high, pierced by numerous gates. Most notable architecturally is the Yemen Gate (Bāb al-Yaman), renamed Liberty Gate after the revolution of 1962.

Old Sanaa includes 106 mosques, 12 hammams (baths), and 6,500 houses, all built before the 11th century ce. Multistoried tower houses, built of dark basalt stone and brick, are decorated with intricate frieze work and beautiful carved windows. Sanaa’s most notable mosque, Al-Jamīʿ al-Kabīr (Great Mosque), contains a sacred shrine that was once a principal object of Zaydī veneration. The old souks (Arabic suqs, marketplaces) begin at Bāb al-Yaman and extend northward past the Great Mosque. The area is called Sūq al-Milh (Salt Market) but consists of many smaller souks selling a wide variety of goods. Northwest of the old city is the former summer palace of the imam, perched on a steep rock outcrop overlooking the Wadi Dharr. The garden suburb of Rawḍah, due north of Sanaa, has a fine mosque in the Moorish style.

Qāʿ al-Yahūd (Jewish Quarter), a walled ghetto in the western part of the city, was long a centre for the practice of traditional crafts, such as fine gold and silver metalwork and embroidery. Virtually all the capital’s Jews emigrated to Israel in 1949–50, dealing an almost fatal blow to the handicraft economy. Typical multistoried dwellings of Sanaa, Yemen. © Vladimir Melnik/Shutterstock.com Big Radio Burst from Tiny Galaxy Sanaa’s traditional isolation was mitigated by the opening (1961) of an all-weather road to the port of Al-Ḥudaydah to the southwest; the road was funded by China . Another highway leads to Taʿizz, which is linked to the old port of Mocha (Al-Mukhā), now little-used. Sanaa’s international airport is at nearby Al-Raḥabah. All About Asia In addition to the city’s function as a regional trade centre, modern industry has been stimulated by foreign assistance; a cotton textile mill built by the Chinese (opened 1966) is particularly important. Many of the city’s residents are government workers.

Several houses and public buildings in and around the capital were damaged in the civil war of 1962–70. The University of Sanaa was established in 1970. In the late 20th century Sanaa’s population grew exponentially, from roughly 35,000 in the early 1960s to more than 400,000 by the mid-1980s; its greater metropolitan area (urban agglomeration) exceeded 1,000,000 in the early 21st century. The city has expanded in all directions with the increase in population, but Old Sanaa, reduced to one-tenth of the city’s population and area, was neglected until the 1980s, when UNESCO and the Yemeni government initiated efforts to preserve and repair the walled city. In 1986 it was designated a World Heritage site . Pop. (2004) 1,707,586; (2009 est.) 2,022,867. Sanaa, Yemen.

Sanaa - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) Sanaa (also spelled San’a) is the capital of Yemen. Situated at the western foot of Mount Nuqum, the ancient city has long been a commercial, religious, and political center of the Yemen highlands. It served as the capital of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) from 1962 until 1990, when that country merged with the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen. Sanaa then became the capital of the new Republic of Yemen. The city lies in the western part of the country, at an elevation of more than 7,200 feet (2,200 meters). Article History Yemen Explorer - Sanaa the Capital City Sana`a – Capital City of Yemen Geography Sana’a lies in the heart of Yemeni highlands on a plateau at an altitude of 2,200 m (7,220 ft) surrounded by several mountains. It has a cool and dry climate and in the winter time light frost is possible. Extreme recorded temperatures are −3 °C (27 °F) and 34.4 °C (93.9 °F).

The city enjoys a fair weather during the months of April to October. Afternoon thunderstorms are common which brings much of Sana’a's annual rainfall. The city is around 370 km (230 mi) north of Aden, the economic and financial center of Yemen. History The heritage books begin the history of Sana’a with the story of Shem the son Noah, who came from the north looking for a better homeland. He finally found the place of Ghamdan and thereafter the city was named Sam City “City of Shem” and that means it is the oldest town. Other books mention another name for the city: Azal as mentioned in poems and other records of antiquity; Azal is a name that is provided for the Old Testament. From the name Azal comes the verb yazl meaning fortified. The same word in Amharic (a Yemenite Dialect spoken in Ethiopia) means manufacture. The name that always accompanied the city and its history events since 20 centuries age is Sana’a, its root is in the Sabaean language and is also referred to as in its adjective form Hasana, which means beauty. The first inscription that mentions Sana’a dates back to 70 AD.

From the inscriptions also it has been found that Dhu Nawas , the last Himyarite King was the first to establish Sana’a as his capital in 525 AD, and remained so during the Abyssinian period, almost half a century. When Sana’a fell under the Persian Empire’s control it remained as the capital of the Persian ruler. The city of Sana’a recurrently assumed an important status and all Yemenite States competed to control it of which is the famous competition between the Zaidite and Qarmatite States or was at times adopted as capital of a Sultanate. The Sullaihiad Kings (One of the Biggest Yemenite States during the Islamic Reign) were the first to adopt Sana’a as Capital for the Sullaiyhid Dynasty before transferring the capital to Jiblah between the years 1047, and 1083.

Then it became a capital of Hatimite State (a tribe of Hamdan) from 1098 till 1173.They were partisans of the Sullaiyhids and were in war with the Zaidites Imams in Sadah and were allies of the Zaidites in Aden during their wars with Al-Mahdi in Zabid till the Hatimate State demised at the hands of the Ayyubides (1174-1229 AD. Also Sana’a remained important during the Ayyubides and the Zone named Bostan A-Sultan in Sana’a refers to Sultan Taghtakin Bin Ayub whose capital was Taiz . The Status of Sana’a didn’t change during the region of the Rasoulides 1226-1454 and this was the strongest Islamic Sub-state in Yemen which covered most of Yemen .i.e. Greater Yemen. Their capital was Taiz. Also during the Tahiride Rule of Yemen Sana’a remained as an important city.

The Mamelukes arrived in Yemen following the Portuguese Invasion of Yemenite Coasts in 1517 AD following the collapse of the Mamelukides in Egypt at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, Yemen fell under the Ottoman Rule and during the first Ottoman rule of Yemen between 1538-1635 Sana’a became the capital of the Ottoman Vilayet. Albeit the Zaidite expansion following the first Ottoman exodus to the extent that it covered Greater Yemen but Sana’a was not the capital of that State and the condition in later times deteriorated till the number of Imams in Sana’a and its surroundings were five at the same times.

Then again came the Ottomans and controlled Yemen with Sana’a as capital as of 1872-1918.After the Ottomans Sana’a was the capital of Imam Yehya who ruled North Yemen till 1948 and during Imam Ahmed’s rule it was the capital of Sana’a Province till the break out of Revolution in 1962 where after it become the capital of the Arab Republic of Yemen till the Reunification declaration of Yemen was proclaimed on 22 May 1990 and it was dubbed as the Historical Capital of Yemen. Old City The old city has been inhabited and fortified for more than 2,500 years and contains a wealth of architectural gems. It was declared a World Heritage City by the United Nations in 1986. Efforts are underway to preserve some of the oldest buildings, some of which are over 400 years old. Surrounded by ancient clay walls which stand six to nine metres (20-30 ft) high, the old city boasts over 100 mosques, 12 hammams (baths) and 6,500 houses.

Many of the houses look rather like ancient skyscrapers – reaching several stories high and topped with flat roofs, they are decorated with elaborate friezes and intricately carved frames and stained glass windows. One of the most popular attractions is Suq al-Milh (Salt Market), where it is possible to buy not only salt but also bread, spices, raisins, cotton, copper, pottery, silverware, both fake and real antiques and formerly, slaves. The majestic seventh century al-Jami’a l-Kabir (The Great Mosque) is one of the oldest in the Muslim world. Bāb al-Yeman “Yemen Gate” is an iconized entry point through the city walls and is over 700 years old. Sana’a main tourists attractions: Sana’a is one of the ancient Yemen cities dating date back to the Sabean dynasty. The oldest reference to its existence is found in inscriptions dates back to the late the 1st Century AD. The inscriptions also refer to the historical Palace of Ghamdan associated with Salheen Palace in Marib .

This suggested that Sana’a was the capital of the Himyrate dynasty at the onset of the 6th century AD when king Yousef Athar Dhu Nawas the last of the Himyarite kings was in power . It was also the capital of the Abyssinian rules and after them the Persians who also made Sana’a their capital. Sana’a in the various stages of its history continued to be an important city or capital for a ruling State. It was an important station on the trade route which started at Aden passing through the mountains through Sana’a. This route was known as As’ad Route or the Route of the Elephant Owners. During the Islamic period Sana’a entered another stage and put on a new fashion with the Holy Mosque replacing the Church of Ibraha (Al-Qillis). Thus, the minarets and domes dominated the skyline of the city. Schools and steam baths (Hamamat) were built. Gardens were expanded to become luscious outlets for the surrounding houses. The houses of Sana’a are old and some are 500 years old.

It is believed that the foundations of some of those houses today dates back to more 1000 years taking into consideration the tradition to rebuild on top of collapsing houses. The houses of Old Sana’a are known as tower houses with some reaching eight stories. In Old Sana’a there are more than 14000. The ground and first floors of the old city houses are built of stone with the upper floors being built of cooked bricks. The floors are separated from one another with a strip of the same building material. The rooms are lit with marble arched stained-glass windows. The exterior walls are decorated with ornaments coated with lime in an updated architectural style and similar material. The ground floors are used as stores, while the large first floors are used for entertaining. These as also rooms allocated for women and children. The Mafraj is the main domain, located at the top of the house, and is a rectangular room with broad windows allowing good sight of the surroundings. It is the most decorated and beautiful room in the house. Old Sana’a as exposed to many natural disasters and war calamities the most severe of which was the sweeping floods in the late 9th century.

However, It was rebuilt and restored to its original condition and then expanded during the Aubbide Reign in the 12th century AD, when they built what is called Sultan Orchard. The city also witness expansion under the first Ottoman period, and a new quarter was added to Sana’a called Quarter of Beer al-Azab , which was populated by the Senior officials. This quarter was distinct in its architectural Style differing from that of old Sana’a with regard to orchards and fountains. In the middle of the 16th century, Sana’a expanded again by adding the “Qa’a Al-Yahud”, a rampart dating back to the first century encircled “The Jewish Quarter” Old sana’a but it grew with the expansion of the city to include the new quarters. The rampart was in the shape of an 8,and used to have six gates four of which were used for the old city. These gates were closed each night at 8:00 o’clock and were opened before the dawn prayer at 4:00 am Sana’a is the most beautiful city in Yemen and in the Arabian Peninsula. It is a miraculous city with matchless architectural style.

It can be said that it is a fantastic Islamic museum and international cultural Center in the Same way as Jerusalem (Al-Qawds Fez,Venice, and Florence).UNESCO has considered Sana’a as an international patrimony and undertook an international camping to protect, Safeguard and maintain it in 1984. City Mosques In Sana’a there are more than 50 mosques, five with domes and many with minarets, most Important of which is the Great Mosque, built during the life of Prophet Mohammed and ordered by him in the Eighth Hegira year 630 AD. This mosque was built, near the market place of stones from the famous Palace of Ghamdan and its pillars considered to be rare and wonderful masterpieces. They are believed to have been reused after they were moved from Ghamdan Palace of from a Sheba Temple the present building dates back (without the present annexes), to the period of Ya’furriya State in the late third century AD (9th century AD). Queen Arwa Bint Ahmad AL-Sulayhi and other participated in expanding it.

The ceiling of the Great Mosque itself is considered as one of the important scientific and, ideological schools throughout the Islamic History until today. The Western library, the most famous manuscript library in Yemen, is annexed to this Mosque. Markets The market is considered to be one of the significant components of the Arab Islamic city the markets of old Sana’a are regarded as a living example of this. There are ten such markets, each specializing in a certain craft or merchandise such as the Cloth market, Grain market, Silk market, Raisins market, Cattle market, Thread market, Coffee Husk market, Caps market, Carpet market, Salt market, Brassware market, Silverware market, Firewood market. Steam Baths (Hammamat) There are in old Sana’a about 15 steam baths, which are a fundamental feature of the city, as baths are associated with cleanliness. It is said that the Persians introduced the baths. The style of steam baths in Yemen is similar to that of North Africa but still some suggest that they were introduced during the Umayyad Period in the late first century Hegira (7th century AD).

Samsarah (Caravan stops) In old Sana’a there were a number of inns (Khans) which used to perform specific functions that were complementary to the business of the market, such as services of accommodation, storage, safekeeping of deposits and precious items. Such facilities had a specific architecture style characterized by arches and terraces in the interior, the ground floor of which was usually used for camels and horses there are now samples of such brokerage inns one of them is Al-Nahas Caravansary at the entrance of Salt Market, Bab AL-Yemen (Yemen Gate), which is now used as a center for the training of craftsmen and displaying their products. Nearby is another example called Samsarat Al-Mansour, which is presently a center for the painting artists. Share By Mohammed Al-Asaadi In the northern part of Yemen’s capital city of Sana’a, 1.5 million people are serviced by a single wastewater treatment plant. When escalating conflict caused damage to the plant, raw sewage water streamed dangerously through the Bani-Al-Hareth district, exposing residents to harmful waste and a potential public health crisis.

© UNICEF Yemen/2015/Al-Asaadi A boy holds some of the vegetables grown in the farms flooded with the sewage water in Bani Al-Haret District in northern Sana’a city. SANA’A, Yemen, 3 August 2016 – When conflict escalated in Yemen in March 2015, the resulting damage to infrastructure cut off electricity to a sewage treatment plant that turns human waste into harmless manure for fertilizing agricultural lands. Production at the plant ground to a halt, and raw sewage water streamed dangerously through Bani Al-Hareth, a district north of the capital, Sana’a. A heavy stench from all types of human waste engulfed the area and a swamp of flies spread throughout. Abdo Ali Tammah lives in the area, and said the unpleasant sight and smell of the sewage added to the misery already inflicted on them by the violent conflict. “There was nowhere to turn to. There were too many flies and other insects attracted by the raw sewage,” said Mr. Tammah. “Our crops in the farms were not spared, they just died,” he added.

Children at risk The situation had the potential to exacerbate the effects felt from the ongoing conflict, and potentially turn into a public health crisis. Inadequate access to safe water and sanitation services, coupled with poor hygiene practices, kills and sickens thousands of children around the world every day, and leads to impoverishment and diminished opportunities for thousands more. © UNICEF Yemen/2015/Al-Asaadi The wastewater treatment plant in northern Sana’a City, which turns human waste into harmless manure and water. The northern part of Sana’a depends on this particular sewage plant for safe disposal of human waste. Initially built to serve only 500,000 people, the treatment plant now handles a waste mass for nearly 1.5 million people as the city population has increased. “We are at risk of diseases and I am worried especially for our children because of the poor sanitation and hygiene situation created by this flow of waste,” Mr. Tammah said. “The untreated waste water is passing through the Bani Al-Hareth district and it is being utilized for irrigation purposes by the locals.

The vegetables grown on this soil – eggplants, potatoes, lettuce, and others – are being sold and consumed by the people living in and around Sana’a city, which is very threatening to their health and our environment,” explained Abdulwahab Salah, the Deputy Director at the sewage treatment plant. The local authorities and the residents of Bani Al-Hareth like Mr. Tammah were left with no options – no electricity, and no fuel to power the generators that process the waste water. Race to avert a public health crises In emergency situations like the one in Yemen, safe water and sanitation are among the highest priority interventions. Unless adequate water and sanitation services are quickly provided to emergency-affected children and their families, disease and death will follow. This is true in all types of emergencies, from natural disasters to conflicts caused by a range of complex factors. © UNICEF Yemen/2015/Al-Asaadi Abdo Ali Tammah appeals for help after his village, Bani Al-Haret, was flooded with raw sewage water. In July 2015, UNICEF stepped in to provide fuel to power the sewage treatment plant so that dangerous waste could be disinfected.

More than one million litres of fuel were supplied, allowing authorities to run the plant since August 2015. This was a big relief to Mr. Tammah and the other residents of Bani Al-Hareth, as well as the people exposed to health risks. “We got back to normal life. Our lives are saved,” Mr. Tammah said. Local authorities from the Water and Sanitation Corporation say the support from UNICEF to run the sewage treatment plant helped to prevent the outbreak of diseases. However the supply of fuel, which is dependent on donor funding, is not sustainable. In Yemen, more than 19 million people are in dire need of regular access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services.

>> Learn more about the humanitarian needs of the children of Yemen Yemen Facts on Largest Cities, Populations, Symbols - Worldatlas.com Ethnicity: predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans GDP total: $54.85 billion (2012 est.) GDP per capita: $2,200 (2012 est.) Language: Arabic (official) Largest Cities: (by population) Sana'a, Aden, Taizz, Hudaydah, Mukalla, Ibb, Dhamar Name: There are two proposed meanings behind Yemen's name, the first being derived from yamin, meaning "on the right side," and the other derived from yumm, meaning "felicity," in reference to the fertile region National Day: May 22 Religion: Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shia), as well as small numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu Sanaa, Yemen - Inside Yemen's war-torn capital - Pictures - CBS News Inside Yemen's war-torn capital Next Sanaa, Yemen CBS News correspondent Clarisa Ward and her team got rare access to witness and report on the destruction in Yemen's capital, Sana

a.

Houthi rebel forces swept to power last fall, ousting the president. At least 1,300 civilians have been killed and some of the country's most precious heritage destroyed. At left, Ward stands by a crater left by an airstrike in front of the Yemeni Ministry of Defense in Sanaa, which along with the rest of the capital has been seized by the Houthi forces. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen Upon arriving at the airport in Sanaa, one of the first sites to greet the CBS News team was an plane nearly cut in half by an airstrike from the Saudi-led coalition that has been waging an air war against the rebels. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen Producer Erin Lyall (front center), cameraman Ian Robbie and correspondent Clarissa Ward walk through the streets of Sanaa, Yemen, trailed by an entourage of Houthi Yemeni officials. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen Clarissa Ward stands next to a car destroyed in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike in the mountains outside of Sanaa, Yemem.

Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen Clarissa Ward and two Yemeni Houthi militiamen walk amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in the Old City of Yemen's capital, Sanaa. This part of Sanaa -- a UNESCO World Heritage Center -- dates back 2,500 years and is one of the longest-continually inhabited cities on Earth. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen A stuffed animal toy is seen amid the rubble of a building destroyed by a Saudi-led coalition airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen. Credit: CBS A view of buildings in Sanaa's Old City, Yemen. Credit: CBS A building badly damaged by fighting in Sanaa, Yemen. Credit: CBS Airstrike destruction in Sanaa, Yemen. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen Yemeni Houthi security forces search other men at a checkpoint in Sanaa. They security forces are only looking for bombs. The men are allowed to pass with their janbiyas (traditional curved daggers worn in the belt as an accessory by most men in the region once they reach their teen years), and their AK-47s, which can be found in most Yemeni households.

Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen Clarissa Ward reports from the middle of a rally by Houthi militiamen denouncing the Saudi-led military campaign against the Houthis in Sanaa, Yemen. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen Houthi Shiite Muslims attend a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, denouncing the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebels who have swept to power in the capital city, and their U.S. backers. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen A Houthi boy, who told CBS News producer Erin Lyall he was 12 years old, joins other members of the Shiite militia at a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, carrying an AK-47 and with a cheek stuffed full of khat, a plant chewed widely by men in the region as a mild stimulant drug. His father, also at the rally, told Lyall candidly that the boy was actually 10. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen Houthis man a donation box for their war effort against the Saudi-led coalition during a rally in Sanaa, Yemen. Money and bullets accepted in equal measure.

Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen CBS News producer Erin Lyall looks on as cameraman Ian Robbie shoots video of destruction wrought by Saudi-led coaltion airstrikes in the Old City of Sanaa, Yemen. Credit: CBS Sanaa, Yemen A young Yemeni boy collects provisions distributed by the World Food Programme in Sanaa. Yemen is the poorest nation in the Arab world, and the war raging across the country for the last several months has made it very difficult for aid agencies to move resources around safely. There are long lines on a daily basis for basic provisions like food, fuel and water. Credit: CBS Graffiti on a school in Sanaa, Yemen, reads: "Save us from Saudi bombs" Credit: CBS | War & Conflict , Politics , Middle East , Yemen The Yemeni capital Sanaa is now under the control of the Shia-back armed rebels [[Reuters] Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who fled to Aden after escaping from the Houthi armed group controlling Sanaa, considers the southern port city to be Yemen's capital, a top aide said.

"Aden became the capital of Yemen as soon as the Houthis occupied Sanaa," the aide quoted Hadi as saying in reference to their takeover of the capital several months ago. The remarks about Aden reflect Hadi's determination to hold out against Houthi efforts to extend their influence, but are purely symbolic because moving the capital requires a change to the constitution. Aden, the country's second largest city, was capital of a once independent south Yemen, before unification in 1990, when Sanaa became the unified country's capital. Several Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, have already moved their embassies to Aden after an exodus of foreign diplomats from Sanaa in February over security concerns. But the United States, the first to close its mission in Sanaa, has said it will not do so although it continues to back Hadi. In Sanaa, the Houthis named a "presidential council" after Hadi and Prime Minister Khalid Bahah tendered their resignations in January in protest at what critics branded an attempted coup. After fleeing house arrest in Sanaa, Hadi resurfaced in Aden where he retracted his resignation.

Bahah remains trapped in the capital. On Saturday, Hadi said that the Houthis had demanded 135 top government jobs and the vice-presidency for one of their leaders, Saleh al-Sammad. They also demanded that 35,000 armed men be integrated into the armed forces and 25,000 into the police. Escape from Sanaa Tensions have been running high in Aden in recent days, as special forces suspected of links to the Houthis readied defences against an anticipated assault by Hadi loyalists. The special forces commander in Aden, Abdel Hafez al-Saqqaf, has also defied a decree by Hadi sacking him, and said he will only follow orders from the presidential council in Sanaa. His men have cut roads leading to their headquarters near Aden's international airport and set up barricades, saying they fear an assault by the Popular Resistance Committees, loyal to Hadi. On Saturday, Hadi also recalled how he escaped his Sanaa residence through a tunnel linking it to the nearby house of one of his sons and travelled to Aden using back roads.

The Houthis overran Sanaa in September and have since exerted their influence over several other areas. The Shia group has long complained of marginalisation and fought the government between 2004 and February 2010. Source: AFP

Question: What is the capital city of Yemen
Answer: Sana'a